As summer slips into shadow, spooky season kicks off with 13 brand new titles that delve into haunted homes, cursed families, buried secrets and parasitic hunger. Whether you’re drawn to the sun-scorched deserts of trauma recovery, the bloodstained walls of a childhood home or the cultish corners of a doomed town, these new releases promise thrills that linger like bruises and bites. Come for the demons, stay for the damage.
Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley
After surviving a deadly wilderness trip, Hannah joins a secluded desert retreat hoping to outrun her past — but when guests begin dying one by one, her healing getaway becomes a blood-soaked battle for survival. A savage, sun-drenched thriller about trauma, trust and the horrors of self-discovery.
Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
When influencer Clio Barnes inherits her childhood home — the same one her mother once claimed was possessed — she sees a prime content opportunity, not a haunting. But as renovations stir up buried memories and something dark awakens behind the walls, Clio is forced to confront the terrifying possibility that her mother wasn’t crazy — just cursed.
Acquired Taste by Clay McLeod Chapman
A collection of 25 razor-sharp stories that blend biting wit, creeping dread and gut-punch humanity — turning everyday anxieties into unforgettable horrors. From ghost boyfriends to news-channel nightmares, this collection is a feast of dark delights.
We Are Always Tender With Our Dead by Eric LaRocca
In the aftermath of a senseless Christmas morning massacre, the isolated town of Burnt Sparrow spirals into a haunting reckoning with grief, violence and the monsters — human and otherwise — that walk among them. A brutal, lyrical descent into queer horror and small-town rot, where faceless entities, fractured families and forbidden truths ignite a devastating new trilogy.
House Of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson
In a decadent compound run by the world’s most famous rock band, a struggling artist is offered everything she’s ever wanted — fame, luxury and a chance to create her masterpiece. But as disappearances mount and twisted dreams bleed into reality, she discovers the seductive sanctuary may be a trap built to devour its worshippers.
Galloway’s Gospel by Sam Rebelein
In 2009, a bored high schooler accidentally sparks a cult built on pig sketches and teen disillusionment; in 2019, a county guard is sent to investigate the fallout before the town destroys itself. A razor-sharp, riotously strange horror tale of faith, hysteria and two Rachels caught in the middle of a monstrous legacy.
Teenage Girls Can Be Demons by Hailey Piper
An electrifying collection of 13 “coming-of-rage” stories that twist adolescence, vengeance and transformation into monstrous new forms. Creatures, ghosts and brutal awakenings lurking behind every page make this collection a raw, fearless exploration of what it means to grow up haunted — and fight back.
Fiend by Alma Katsu
The powerful Berisha family owes its fortune to an ancient demon bound by blood, secrets and sacrifice. But when their luck turns, ambition collides with legacy — and the family must face the monstrous cost of keeping their empire cursed and intact.
We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad
In this darkly hilarious and feverishly surreal follow-up to Bunny, newly published author Samantha Mackey is kidnapped by her former classmates, who demand she hear their side of the story — at axe-point. A phantasmagoric, blood-splattered fairy tale of creation, obsession and the monstrous power of female friendship in the Bunny-verse.
Spread Me by Sarah Gailey
When a remote desert research team unearths a strange specimen, their leader breaks protocol to bring it inside — only to discover it craves more than warmth. A darkly seductive tale of isolation, temptation and parasitic horror where survival means surrendering control.
What Stalks The Deep by T. Kingfisher
In the newest installment of the Sworn Soldier series, Alex Easton is reluctantly pulled into a search for a missing man deep within a haunted West Virginia coal mine. What begins as a favor for an old friend descends into darkness, as Easton confronts secrets buried far beneath the surface — both literal and supernatural.
Demon Song by Kelsea Yu
In this lush, myth-infused gothic novella, a young woman hiding out in a crumbling Beijing opera house uncovers terrifying secrets that blur the line between folklore and reality. As the building’s ancient hunger awakens, she must unravel the truth behind its haunted halls before her own ambitions become the next offering.
The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi
Rose DuBois might be pushing 80, but when bodies start piling up at the Autumn Springs Retirement Home, she grabs her walker and gets to work. A wickedly funny, blood-spattered slasher that proves final girls don’t have expiration dates.
The Chill Quill is a monthly roundup of thriller, horror, mystery and dark fantasy titles released each month by Lindy Ryan. Read previous editions here.
